Read the Comments

I’m the type of person who appreciates a well-reasoned argument. I can respect an opinion that may differ from mine so long as it is thought out. What drives me crazy, not surprisingly, is when people spout off opinions like they know what they are talking about or they have given the issue serious consideration from different angles. That is one thing that irks me greatly.

This is why it sometimes surprises me that I read the “comments” sections on blogs and news articles. It always drives me crazy! All these people ranting their wild views with lousy grammar and almost zero respect for anyone else…ugh! Not that everyone who comments is like that – obviously – but there is certainly no shortage either. I regularly ask myself, just after I have annoyed myself by reading a bunch of comments, why do I do this? Why can’t I just leave well enough alone?

To be honest, I don’t know the answer. More than likely it probably makes me feel smarter than other people and I secretly like the pride-boost I get (yup, this sinner has a long way to go!). But as I have thought about it, I think it is a good and healthy thing to read the comments. As frustrating as it can sometimes be, the benefit is that it gives me a glimpse into the real world. It allows me to hear what people actually think in an unfiltered way. It keeps me from believing that all people think the way I do or even conduct debates the way I do. I shows me what is really going on in the minds of those around me.

This matters primarily because those are the people that I am called to reach. As a believer in Christ, I have been sent by my Lord as an ambassador into the world around me. How much more effective I can potentially be when I have a better understanding of people! It would be a terrible hinderance to be naive to the people I am to serve and proclaim Christ to. I am convinced it is much better to dive deep into the frustrations of working with real people in the real world no matter how uncomfortable it may make us, because in the end it can help us in our witness for the King who has commissioned us.